Promote marriage to reduce crime

Many articles have appeared lately about how to deal with violence in Indianapolis. Many reasonable short-term proposals were mentioned, but the articles seemed perplexed about what to do for the long term. I wonder if the writers are truly perplexed or simply afraid to name single-parent families as the culprit. Single-parent families are the leading cause of poverty in America and therefore the leading cause of crime, abortion, school dropout rates and just about every other problem.

We in America have abused the institution of marriage, making it practically valueless, and we are reaping the consequences. There is nothing that is going on in our society that can't be fixed if we elevate the permanent relationship of a man and a woman in marriage to the place where it belongs. First place.

I've worked in the inner city for 12 years. In the one community where I've chosen to work I've met dozens of moms and maybe three dads over those 12 years, and I've met a passel of teenagers who don't have any idea where they are going and have almost no resources at their disposal. It is truly disheartening.

Short-term solutions to violence can be managed by local government, but the long-term solution, enshrining marriage, is the job of our culture, including movies, radio, TV, newspapers, churches and everybody else. It's a much harder train to get rolling down the track and that's why, I m afraid, it will never be done.

Stephen J. Martin

Indianapolis

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Promote marriage to reduce crime

Many articles have appeared lately about how to deal with violence in Indianapolis. Many reasonable short-term proposals were mentioned, but the articles seemed perplexed about what to do for the